75 Years of NADA. Presentation of a New Edition of the Book Carmen Laforet, Una Mujer en Fuga

Please join in celebrating the 75th anniversary of Carmen Laforet’s classic novel “NADA”. We will be also presenting the new edition of her biography “Carmen Laforet; Una mujer en fuga”, Gaziel Prize 2009.

In order to understand Spanish contemporary writer Carmen Laforet’s literary legacy, it would be crucial to study and have a clear understanding of the Spanish Civil War and the postwar era; within that context, it would be possible to enjoy the beauty and relevance of Laforet’s first novel “Nada” (1945). The publication and success of this book instantly propelled the young autor, who was only 24 years old and still a university student at the time, to the top of the literary echelon of Spain. Unprepared for such noteriety, the author slowly withdrew from public life.

The significance of this work is first, the revelation of knowing what happened to the author of “Nada" during the rest of her professional career, second, obtaining the ability to undestand her literary production as a whole in the context of her generation in postwar Spain, considering the censorship imposed by the regime, and third, helping to reposition her in the Spanish literary cannon. Ultimately, understanding the history behind, and the production of her novels through her letters and her biography proved to be as interesting and valuable as the novels themselves. The final result was the publication of her biography that will be presented in her fourth edition: “Carmen Laforet; Una mujer en fuga”.

Speakers: Israel Rolón-Barada. Independent researcher; Lisa Nalbone. Associate Professor, Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, University of Central Florida; Irene Mizrahi. Associate Professor of Hispanic Studies, Department of Romance Languages and Literatures, Boston College. 

Sponsor: RCC.